Richardson: N.M. improves in DWI ranking

A report issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranks New Mexico 26th in the nation for the number of alcohol-impaired driving deaths per vehicle miles traveled in 2008.

State officials say this marks the first time New Mexico has a rate equal to the national rate of .40 for DWI fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Gov. Bill Richardson says the state has "thrown the kitchen sink at drunk driving" over the last seven years, and the state's ranking is improving as a result.

The report shows New Mexico's DWI fatalities have been declining. It ranked seventh in 2004 and then dropped to 17th in 2007.

UNM leader mulls furloughs, administration cuts

ALBUQUERQUE — The University of New Mexico's president says he's considering ordering mandatory furloughs and eliminating administrative positions as ways to offset budget cuts.

President David Schmidly told UNM regents this week that the school faces steep cuts in the budget year starting in July. The university already made significant cuts this budget year.

Lawmakers made cuts throughout state government and in education in October because of plummeting revenues. For UNM's main campus, that meant a cut of close to $8.4 million from a $200 million state appropriation.

Regent Jamie Koch urged Schmidly not to replace high-salaried administrators when they leave. He said UNM has 21 vice presidents and said consolidating them makes sense.

Albuquerque man awarded $200K in civil rights case

ALBUQUERQUE — A federal jury has awarded more than $200,000 to an Albuquerque man who claimed police violated his civil rights when they locked him in a police car for hours because he refused to answer their questions.

The verdict returned Friday also will award attorney fees to lawyers who represented Danny Manzanares.

The trial was the fourth for the case in U.S. District Court resulting from allegations against the Albuquerque officer who handcuffed Manzanares during a March 2002 investigation to locate a rape suspect.

Albuquerque will review red-light camera program

ALBUQUERQUE — Albuquerque will study whether city streets have become safer in the five-plus years since cameras began snapping pictures of speeders and red-light runners before signing a contract extension with the program's private operator.

Mayor Richard Berry has hired The University of New Mexico's Institute for Social Research to conduct the study. Public Safety Director Darren White said at a news conference Friday that the study will be paid for with ticket revenue.

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based traffic camera company RedFlex has agreed to extend its expiring contract for four months while the study is done.

White says researchers will try to determine if driving habits have changed citywide — not just at the 20 intersections with cameras — as a result of the program.

Carlsbad asks Eddy County for brine well cash

CARLSBAD — The city of Carlsbad is seeking at least $15,000 from Eddy County to help pay for legal fees it expects to pay as it tries to solve a problem with a brine well that could collapse.

City officials are considering hiring the law firm of Pete Domenici Jr. to take on the case. He is the son of former Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici.

The state Oil Conservation Division asked the company operating the site to cease operations, install an early warning system and contract out the initial seismic study after two similar wells collapsed last year.

The brine well salt cavern is located at the edge of Carlsbad, and it is of particular concern because it's surrounded by two highways, a major irrigation canal, a mobile home park, a church and businesses.

The city is also seeking $35,000 in initial support from the county to help buy and install monitoring equipment.




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